One Heart

Benefits of EAAT in Physical Rehabilitation

 

Equine-assisted activities and therapies are known to improve one’s balance, strength, and motor coordination. It has also been proven effective in promoting language, sensory regulation, and improving social skills, often resulting in the formation of an emotional bond with the horses on which clients ride. This then motivates children to perform skill-building tasks.

 

Hippotherapy is a physical, occupational, and speech/language treatment modality that utilizes the movement of the horse as part of an integrated intervention program. In each hippotherapy session, a specially trained occupational, physical, or speech therapist properly positions the client on the horse, analyzes the client's response, and directs the horse's movement. In hippotherapy, each client is working toward specific goals developed with input from the client/parent and therapist. Enjoyable and challenging therapeutic activities are selected to establish a foundation to improve neurological function and sensory processing. This foundation can be generalized to a wide range of daily activities.

 

Working with a horse provides exercise for individuals who need help developing fine motor skills (in the small muscles of the fingers, toes, wrists) and gross motor skills (large muscles in the legs, arms, and torso). Youngsters with different forms of cerebral palsy and autism can benefit from horse riding as it helps them develop strength, balance, and muscle control.